Police investigate Wilco-Hess store homicide

Stephanie Anderson, 39-year-old mother of three, apparently never had time to lock the door behind her when she showed up at the Wilco-Hess convenience store to prepare the store for opening.The door to the Wilco-Hess station was unlocked when the victim was shot to death. That's according to the victim's fiance who was the first on scene this morning. He was too distraught to talk about the scene but Stephanie Anderson's sister Lachanda Powell stated, "I can't believe somebody would have the guts to do that. Whoever it was, was very heartless."

Lachanda thinks a robber was waiting for her sister when Anderson arrived at the store around 5am.

Normally, Anderson's family says, she would go into the store at 5am, but then lock the door behind her and prepare to open at 6am. Her fiance usually drops by around that time on his way to work. That's when he says he found her this morning slumped behind a counter. Police apparently were already on the way alerted by an alarm.

Lachanda continued, "It's ridiculous how somebody would take somebody away that we love so much and I want to find out who did it. So, anybody out there, please."

The Anderson family believes the robbery was the motive.

Finding the culprit won't bring Anderson back, but would go a long way toward helping her family cope.

That includes the victim's 15-year-old daughter who prayed with her family before leaving the murder scene this afternoon.

Anderson also has an 11-year-old son and an older son who does not live at home.

Anyone with information that might assist the investigation of the case is asked to call the Raleigh Police Department's Detective Division at (919) 890-3555 or CrimeStoppers at (919) 226-CRIME.

People who were in the area of the store between approximately 4:30 and 5:15 this morning and who observed individuals, vehicles or suspicious activity are especially urged to call immediately.